Tag: Calligraphy

The Four Treasures: Inkstone / Suzuri, v

I have a small collection of inkstones / suzuri. A few I have paid a lot for (for me), and others have been incredibly inexpensive. Some are really poor as far as usefulness, some mediocre, and some surprisingly good for the small amount they cost. Several years ago I bought an excellent stone for $5.00 in an artist supply store. It is a real stone suzuri. Another one I bought a few years ago is not an outstanding stone, but a bit of work made it into a very usable stone. That is the subject of today’s entry.

The Phoenix Stone

I bought this stone on eBay about three years ago, paying about $15.00 for a stone which was never used. The gal I bought it from got it in Hong Kong about twenty years earlier, as a memento of her trip. That said, I wasn’t too sure about it, but liked the carving on it and bought it anyway. It must be understood that many inkstones are made for the tourist industry, are not usable, and most will not be worth more than use as a paper weight or other decorative item. This stone measures 5.25 x 8 inches (13.5 x 20 cm).

This stone is actually pretty good – much better than I expected. When it arrived, there was some sort of coating on it, which did not work at all well with hand grinding an inkstick. I decided to re-read some directions I got awhile back about how to make a stone usable – if it could be made usable at all. The goal was to remove the coating, try the stone, and then finish the stone’s grinding surface if necessary.

Buying a New Stone

When buying a stone to use, the first thing to look for in a stone is whether or not there is a slight glint, or sparkle, in the sun. Tilt the stone this way and that. What is needed is a bit of sparkle, and hopefully that sparkle is copper pyrite, which, according to my source in Japan, is necessary for good ink stick-ink stone connection. This stone has that glint.

Preparing to Refinish / Polish a New Inkstone or Suzuri

To refinish a suzuri is not difficult, though it might be rather scary if you like the stone. This inkstone was unused, so this description is for a new stone that does not seem optimal.

Because this stone was not dirty, with old ink stuck to it, I simply washed it soap and water, using Dawn dish detergent as it is good at cutting grease. I let it soak a bit in hot water, soapy water, and then used a 3M brand green scrubber on it. I did not apply a lot of pressure to the surface, but used just a gentle swirling motion. Once washed, I rinsed it, and let it dry a day before grinding sumi. The resulting ink was okay, but not particularly fine. The surface of the stone felt rather rough, so I decided to sand it down.

Polishing the Inkstone / Suzuri

Sandpaper is not to be used on an inkstone, but fine grit wet-dry paper is needed. This is usually a grey-colored paper, available in good hardware stores, and manufactured by 3M. It comes in varying grits, but to begin with, use nothing less than 600 or 800, and do the final polish with 1000-2000. What you choose to use will vary with the stone, and how much energy you want to put into it. I like a smoother finish, but with a coarse-grained stone will require a bit of gentle elbow grease. The paper shown is what I have used, and am pleased with the results.

Before you begin, run your fingertips over the surface of the stone. This way you will know what your stone feels like before beginning.

When I polish a stone, I go outside. With me comes a basin of water, the paper, the stone, an old bath towel, and table. Place the stone on the towel to protect the table, and to collect any dirty water from the sanding process. Put water on the stone’s surface, and using the coarser papers, begin rubbing the surface in light, circular movements. Don’t put a lot of pressure on the stone, but let the paper do its job. Proceed systematically over the entire surface. Rinse off the particles of stone and paper as needed in the basin of water as they accumulate, and continue. Test the surface of the stone with your fingertips – you should be able to feel the difference. Rinse off your stone, wash and rinse again, and let it dry.

Grind some ink, and notice the quality of the particles. Also notice the quality of your inkstick. If you have a poor inkstick it won’t produce particularly good ink – it will be coarse-grained, and take a long time to produce dark ink. There may be rough spots in it. These rough spots are impurities or contaminants, and can actually gouge your stone. Stop if you find something like this, pick it out, and try again. Remember – you can ruin a good stone with an inferior inkstick.

The key element is patience. Sand down the stone, wash and rinse it, let it dry. Run your fingers over the stone, checking for a smooth finish throughout the entire grinding surface. Try your ink. If you are content, stop. If you want a finer ink, continue using finer papers until you are pleased. Don’t try for a shiny, polished surface. There needs to be some “bite” on the surface for the inkstick so it may be ground into fine particles.

The Phoenix Arises!

I spent a few days polishing out this stone. I used several grits of paper on it before I was content. This stone produces a dark ink in a fairly short amount of time. The surface is flat, without puddling, and the well holds a nice amount of water. Because there is no slope on the stone, I use the water to dilute ink when painting. I add water from a suiteki or sucky-cup (plastic cup with a built-in straw, made by Rubbermaid) in small amounts as I grind ink. The large grinding surface makes for a relaxing “grind” – small surfaces make me tense up.

This stone has a rather greasy quality to it, which is why it is not one of my favorite stones. I expect it has something to do with the type of stone it is.  Little spots of white appear on its surface for no known reason.  Nonetheless, a stone which was not at all usable, in my opinion, has become functional, and under the right circumstances, pleasurable to use.

Excursion: Treasures through Six Generations

Tomorrow I will be heading down to the Huntington Library with a friend.  This is a rather pleasant, serendipitous excursion because while in South Pasadena, at Gus’s, I saw a poster for this exhibit, Treasures through Six Generations:  Chinese Painting and Calligraphy from the Weng Collection. In the back of my mind I thought it would be worthwhile seeing, but not sure if I could organize my life enough to get to it.  The biggest intimidation factor is I just don’t like driving in L.A. traffic!  I’ll be meeting up with my excursion buddy in the valley, and as I am driving the first half, chauffering will be provided the rest of the way.

The Weng Collection has an interesting history behind it.   According to the press release of Feb.23, 2009 from Huntington:

The history of the Weng family and their art collection reads like an epic novel, mirroring the tumult of 19th- and 20th-century China and its ensuing diaspora. Assembled primarily in the second half of the 19th century, the collection is legendary not only for its superb selection—it contains masterpieces of brush and ink spanning 900 years—but also for the remarkable individuals who have been responsible for its formation and safe-keeping. The works of art have survived repeated dynastic changes, protracted warfare, and journeys across continents, remaining almost miraculously unscathed under the care of this family.

The Weng collection has been in the same family for six generations, beginning with Weng Xincun (1791–1862). Xincun’s son Weng Tonghe (1830–1904) and the collection’s current owner, Wan-go Weng (b. 1918), are particularly celebrated for their remarkable achievements.Weng Tonghe, the family patriarch who formed the nucleus of the collection,was a preeminent figure in late Qing China.He rose to prominence when he placed first in the 1856 metropolitan exams for the jinshi degree and became a zhuangyuan (“First Scholar of the Nation,” as Wan-go Weng likes to say). Weng went on to tutor two emperors, Tongzhi (r.1862–74) and Guangxu (r. 1875–1908). The latter studied with him for a total of 24 years and regarded him as his closest adviser. In addition, Weng also held some of the highest positions in the government. He is remembered in history as the leader of the pro-war faction during the Sino-Japanese war in 1894–1895 and, through his introduction of the radical reformer Kang Youwei (1858–1927) to Guangxu, for his early influence on the emperor’s Hundred Days’Reform in 1898.

Weng Tonghe’s collection was passed down to Wan-go Weng, who brought it to the United States in 1948. Wan-go Weng is himself a modern-day Renaissance man—filmmaker,poet, scholar and civic leader—whose English films and publications on Chinese history and art have been widely influential among both scholars and general readers. Under his leadership in the mid 1980s, the New York–based China Institute rebuilt its reputation as one of the leading centers for the promotion of Chinese culture in the United States . . . .

The gardens at the Huntington Library are renown.  There are themed gardens, such as a Chinese one which is a perfect parallel for the Weng exhibit, a Japanese garden, a desert garden, a Shakespeare garden, and more.  If you want to see what is in bloom, for instance, this month, you can click here.

I’ve lived in California most of my adult life, within close proximity of the Huntington – never more than 100 miles – but this is my first trip, and I’m as excited as a kid going to Disneyland!

The Four Treasures: Inkstone / Suzuri, iv

Ogatsu Inkstones

Another famous Japanese inkstone is the Ogatsu.  The stone is a dark grey-black stone, to pure black. It is a type of slate which lends itself well to detailed carving.  The stone is about 200-300 million years old, and is quarried in Kitakami mountain, near the city from which these suzuri take their name.

This video shows the carving of a traditional suzuri.

According to the website http://www.kougei.or.jp,

. . . the origins of the Ogatsu inkstone can be traced back to the Muromachi period (1392-1573). Then, at the beginning of the 17th century, two inkstones were presented to the military commander, Date Masamune, who was on a deer hunt on Toojima, an island off the Ojika Peninsular. It seems that he was highly delighted with the stones and reciprocated generously. Date’s son, Tadamune, also recognized the skill with which these inkstones were fashioned and engaged craftsmen to make inkstones for the clan. It then seems that he placed the mine from which the stone was sourced under a monopoly and did not allow outsiders to mine there.

The most important part of an inkstone is the houbou, or bed on which an ink stick is rubbed in a little water. It is the texture and perfect degree of hardness of this surface which is a particular feature of the Ogatsu inkstones. The stones are made from a type of slate and are either black or a deep indigo in color, have a rich luster and a smooth surface. Some highly fashioned, others are almost as they were mined. In all, 26 firms employ 88 people who are engaged in making these inkstones and there are also 4 government recognized Master Craftsmen.

These stones are elaborately carved, with lids, as well as left in a more natural shape. The photos below gives you an idea of the range in which they are produced.

The Four Treasures: Inkstone / Suzuri, iii

Akama Inkstones

The website www.kougei.or.jp is particularly informative about various trades and crafts in Japan.  This is what they have to say about the Akama suzuri:

Records exist showing that an Akama inkstone was offered at the Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura at the beginning of the Kamakura period (1185-1333). By the middle of the Edo period (1600-1868) these inkstones were being sold up and down the country. By the time that Mori was leading the local clan, unauthorized people were prohibited from mining the stone from which these inkstones were made and should one be needed as a gift at such times at the Sankin Kotai, when feudal lords travelled to live in Edo, permission to mine the stone had to be given by the head of the clan. This made it quite difficult to obtain one of these much prized inkstones from the Choshu clan.

Akama inkstones possess all the right qualities of a good inkstone. The stone is hard and it has a close grain. It is beautifully patterned and is soft enough to work. The hobo on which the ink stick is ground has a close grain helping to produce ink quickly and of the best quality in terms of color and luster. These inkstones are now being produced by 7 firms employing 15 people, 2 of whom are government recognized Master Craftsmen.

The Akama suzuri is characterized by a deep red brick color.  It is a hard stone which lends itself well to detailed carving. The Akama stone I own measures about 5 x 7.5 inches (12.5 x 20 cm), is quite heavy, and has a large area for grinding ink, and depressions on either side of it which lead to the well.  The carving is clean and crisp, as well as rather cleverly executed with the grapes hiding in the well itself.

Recalling the “breath test” of yesterday’s entry, I breathed on the grinding surface a couple of times.  It was absorbed very quickly when compared to the She stone.  This stone takes more effort to create ink than does the gourd-shaped stone, and perhaps this is the reason why.  When I tilt in the sun, there are few sparkles of pyrites, which are found in a good stone – there is something about pyrites and the ink stick interacting….  Anyhow, this is still a lovely stone, but admittedly, not my favorite for grinding ink.

There are some design elements in this stone which I really like. I like having a “moat” on either side of the grinding surface, as it allows me to create little areas of greyer tones once the darker ink is on the central plain. The plain itself has a shall indentation in the center, which rises a bit before curving steeply into the well beneath the grape leaves. This allows for a puddling of ink without it flowing into the well.

These next two pictures show the carving a bit more in detail, taken at different angles.

Finally, there is some writing on the back which I should get translated. You can see it on the reverse image at the top. These are the images, enlarged, from top to bottom.

This link will bring you to a page with a number of Akama inkstones, along with some rather hefty prices!  Click on each inkstone image to see it enlarge – here you will really see the art of the carved suzuri.

The Four Treasures: Inkstone / Suzuri, ii

She Inkstones

I bought this stone with the understanding that it is a She inkstone, from Anhui in China.  The box, as you can see, is custom-made to the shape of the stone, which is carved into the shape of a gourd.  Measurements of the stone are about 8 x 3 inches (20 x 7.5 cm), with the inside of the well about 4 x 2.5 inches (10 x 6.3 cm).  This stone is smooth and hard, and easily grinds ink into very fine particles.  The back of the stone is a bit lopsided, so it wobbles when ink is being ground.  I solved this problem by placing a small piece of folded felt under the wobbly area.

According to Cao Jieming, vice manager of She Ink Stone Factory, She inkstones have some distinctive characteristics:

The She ink stone is hard but smooth, with a clear and dense texture. While touching it, it feels like the skin of a baby. Good She ink stones do not absorb water. On cold days, if you breathe on it, the water may form on the ink stone and it can be used to grind ink.

Other people make the same claim – that by breathing on an inkstone, if the moisture from your breath is quickly absorbed, the stone is too porous.  I tried this, and the moisture from my breath remained visible on the stone for over a minute.  When I wiped my finger across the area I breathed on, a small puddle of water appeared.

If you do a web search about She inkstones, you will learn a lot about them.  They are prized for the quality of the stone, as well as the minerals which are embedded into the stones.  These markings are given a variety of names, such as Gold Star, Small Water Wave, Fish Egg.  A skilled craftsman will work to bring out the beauty of these markings while making an excellent inkstone.

She inkstones vary in color, from green, to grey, to black.

My Gourd-Shaped Inkstone

My stone is a deep grey-black, and is quite hard.  There are swirls darker grey throughout the stone.  The upper part of this stone is carved into leaves, with the lower end containing the well representing a gourd.  (Or maybe a squash?)  The carving is very smooth and clean, as you can see from the picture, moving gracefully from the leaves into the gourd and well of the stone.

The stone is also very thin, measuring no more than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. When tapped, the stone gives a pleasant, metallic sound.

The reverse side of this stone shows some greenish streaks, as well as bits of gold color. Pyrites, if I remember correctly, are necessary in good inkstones. The image below is on the reverse of the stone, beneath the well. Notice the colors, spots, and striations in the stone.

This next image is from the reverse, upper part of the stone, beneath the carved leaves.

Even closer, you can see the stone’s characteristics.

For me, learning about the tools I use is important as it gives me a greater appreciation for it in so many ways: respect for the artisan and his/her skills, respect for the history of the tool, respect for the beauty within the tool itself. To care properly for the inkstone is to honor it, its history, and its place in my own creative endeavors.